STEPS

STEPS - Student Tracking of Effort and Progress

We use our STEPS system to inform you about your child's progress. For those new to the process, each year you will receive six such reports. This frequency of reporting enables us to improve the quality and impact of our intervention with students. We hope you will be equally pleased with the frequency of which you receive information about your child's progress.

Target Setting - Overview for Families

When students join Thorp, they are given target grades for each subject they study. These targets are based on the information we receive about their performance prior to joining Thorp Academy (usually Key Stage 2 results).

The targets we use are very ambitious because as an academy, Thorp performs above national average and also reflects how the top performing students achieve nationally from this starting point. We are ambitious for your children.

For example, a student who achieved SATs results of 104 (scaled score) could receive subject targets at a grade 6. Similarly, a student achieving SATs result of 111 could receive subject targets at a grade 8.

Every half term we will provide families with a "STEPS" report, which gives an indication of the grades students are expected to secure at the end of the course, provided they continue to work at the current level demonstrated.

Where students' performances regularly indicate that they are expected to achieve/exceed their targets, the target grade may be increased to provide a greater degree of challenge.

If students' predictions indicate that they are expected to underachieve in a subject, the academy staff will intervene to increase the level of personalisation students receive, identifying barriers to learning and taking swift action to remove these.

Our commitment to taking every action possible, to secure the life-chances for students, has delivered a track record of very high performance for the vast majority of our students. We will always strive to raise standards and transform the life chances of the children in our care.

Effort

E1

Outstanding effort - Star student

E2

Good effort - Aspiring Student

E3

Positive effort - positive about their learning

E4

Wake up Call - may have received a C4 behaviour detention or a number of C3 incidents in the same subject

This is a GCSE, BTEC or Technical Award grade or number. It uses a calculation, based on previous primary school performance, to indicate what students should attain at the end of Key Stage 4. It is based on how students of a similar ability perform nationally in high performing schools.

Prediction

This is a GCSE, BTEC or Technical Award grade or number (see below about GCSE grades changing), which the teacher predicts a student will attain at the end of Key Stage 4. It is based on their current performance and the teacher's professional judgement.

Homework /Coursework

This indicates, where marked, that the teacher has a coursework concern or a homework concern

Parents'Evening

This indicates that a subject teacher would particularly like to see you on Parents' Evening. You can see any of your child's teachers at Parents' Evening but please try to see those teachers who have specifically asked to see you